Showcasing the writers of Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Simon’s Town, Kalk Bay, St James, Kommetjie, Noordhoek, Ocean View, Masiphumelele, Glencairn and Clovelly
Workshop for aspiring writers on publishing at Kalk Bay Books 11 July 2012
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2012/07/publishing-workshop-for-aspiring-authors-at-kalk-bay-books/
Ingrid de Kok, distinguished poet from Kalk Bay
With five poetry collections published, her work presented at international festivals and translated into nine languages including Japanese, Turkish and Swedish, Ingrid de Kok of Kalk Bay is one of South Africa’s best known and widely loved poets.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2012/07/poet-ingrid-de-kok-of-kalk-bay-at-fish-hoek-library-literary-tea/
Tim Butcher, journalist and author of Blood River and Chasing the Devil
Best selling author and correspondent for The Telegraph, Tim Butcher, who lives in St James, gave a fascinating account of his epic journeys in the footsteps of Stanley and Graham Greene through the Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone at the Fish hoek library Literary Tea in May 2012.
Jon Abbot, writer, author and retired journalist from Kommetjie
Jon Abbott, author of Where have all the children gone? and the as yet unpublished book, The Fall of a God, is a retired, former journalist turned Private Eye, who moved from Johannesburg to Imhoff’s Gift, near Kommetjie with his”long suffering” wife Gayle four years ago.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2012/04/jon-abbot-author-of-where-have-all-the-children-gone/
Lutcia Primich Griessel and Richard Street – winning poets
Lutcia Primich Griessel and Richard Street write the winning poems in the Simon’s Town Valentine Poetry Competition 2012. For their poems see
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2012/02/simon%e2%80%99s-town-valentine-poetry-competition-2012-winners/
Sheila Mary Taylor (Sheila Belshaw) of Glencairn Heights
“…her plethora of unusual activities - jockey in Amateur Ladies’ races at Kenilworth and Durbanville, formation roller skating in night-clubs and hotels, a spell of acting and directing, editor of a dramatic society magazine, secretary to a diplomat, dancing in the Royal Albert Hall, London, just to name a few - have all enriched and inspired her writing.”
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/11/sheila-mary-taylor-author-of-count-to-ten-and-pinpoint/
Earl Mentoor of Ocean View: using his talents to help local youth
The quiet gentle mien of Earl Mentor, solo-artist and poet from Ocean View, belies the difficulties he has overcome growing up in an area beset by social problems but also alive with potential and talent.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/10/earl-mentor-of-ocean-viewpoet-hip-hop-artist-and-youth-developer/
Young writer from Masiphumelele: Mbu Maloni
‘My name Mbu is a short version of Mbuyiseli, which in isiXhosa means something like “the one who returns something”. I once asked my mom why she gave me this name. She said: “I never got anything from life; I hope to get something back from my children one day … maybe from you.”’
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/10/masiphumeleles-mbu-maloni-published-author/
Fish Hoek author Tracey Farren publishes her 2nd book “Snake”
We may soon be seeing Tracey’s “Snake” on the big screen! For more on this fascinating book see https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/10/fish-hoek-author-tracey-farren-publishes-snake/
and scroll down on this page to read about Tracey and her first book “Whiplash”.
Michael Walker of St James, writer and historian
Michael Walker is a man with many stories to tell and an hour spent with him is both stimulating and entertaining.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/08/michael-walker-of-st-james-writer-and-historian/
Neoklis Pnematicatos – a legendary personality of Fish Hoek
Read a fitting tribute to Neoklis Pnematicatos, author of ‘It’s Not All Greek’ and ‘South of Ithaca’, personal accounts of his long and active life in Fish Hoek.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/07/neoklis-pnematicatos-a-legend-in-his-own-lifetime/
Clive Myburgh, young science fiction writer from Fish Hoek
“Armed with only a few instruction books and tips on how to be a good writer, Clive started to practise and soon began to master his trade. He attended a short creative writing course and focused on improving his language and writing techniques. His efforts paid off, and in 2007, his short story “What Makes Us Human” made it into the Top 10 in Science Fiction South Africa’s annual Nova Short Story Competition.”
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/06/clive-myburgh-young-science-fiction-writer-from-fish-hoek/
Dawn Garisch, writer and poet from Kalk Bay
It is always a pleasure to spend time with creative and deep thinking people and a chat over hot chocolate with writer, poet and medical doctor Dawn Garisch in Kalk Bay in the Scenic South was no exception.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/06/dawn-garisch-author-and-poet-from-kalk-bay/
‘Dear John, Dear Anyone …’ writing competition – invitation to our writers
Our writers and aspiring writers have been invited to submit entries to the Creative Ink Publishing ‘Dear John, Dear Anyone …’ writing competition. The best letters, emails, texts or Skypes will be filmed by Creative Ink for Actors and an overall winner will receive £100 or R1000. The runners up will receive free DVDs.Read more…
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/03/%e2%80%98dear-john-dear-anyone-%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-writing-competition/
Karen Cochlovius, geologist and author of Desert Varnish
“Desert Varnish was the product of my writing after ten years working in a crazy, often lonely world of mineral exploration in Africa. As I started to write, memories and conversations came flooding back to me and I discovered a world where I could escape into and developed a passion for writing. Desert Varnish was the product of my writing after ten years working in a crazy, often lonely world of mineral exploration in Africa. As I started to write, memories and conversations came flooding back to me and I discovered a world where I could escape into and developed a passion for writing.
Read about Karen and her novel Desert Varnish under
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/02/karen-cochlovius-geologist-and-author-of-desert-varnish/
Willemien de Villiers – author and artist from Muizenberg
“Human relationships inform my novel writing – in my first novel, Kitchen Casualties, I explore themes of sexual abuse within a familial setting, and the devastating effects that keeping secrets can have on a family.”
Read more about Willemien, her art and her writing under
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/02/willemien-de-villiers-artist-and-author-from-muizenberg
Barbara Mutch- author of ’Karoo Plainsong’
“….growing up in South Africa has been the most profound experience of my life. For the act of writing about SA from abroad allows you to see how truly seductive – but also how conflicted – a place our country is. I knew I wanted to write a novel that shone a light on this; that showed both its brilliance and its shadows.”
Read more about author Barbara Mutch and her book Karoo Plainsong in
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/02/writing-karoo-plainsong-barbara-mutch/
Donvé Lee – artist and writer
Donvé Lee is an artist, writer, mother, traveller and explorer of existence. She has post-graduate degrees in art history and creative writing, and lives in Noordhoek where she runs in the mountains, feasts on silence, the sea and endless cappuccinos and croissants at the Foodbarn Deli.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/11/donve-lee-of-noordhoek-artist-and-writer/
Dr. Ian McCallum – award winning author
McCallum is a medical doctor, psychiatrist and analytical psychologist, as well as a specialist wilderness guide, an author and a poet.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/11/dr-ian-mccallum-award-winning-author/
Gladys Thomas of Ocean View – esteemed poet
Today I met a wonderful woman, 75 year old Gladys Thomas of Ocean View. Award winning poet, author of short stories for adults and children and playwright, Gladys first started writing after she her family and friends were evicted from their homes in Simon’s Town as a result of the infamous Group Areas Act of the Apartheid era.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/11/gladys-thomas-of-ocean-view-esteemed-poet-2/
Tracey Farren- award winning Fish Hoek author
Whiplash is a disturbing, darkly humorous novel about a street prostitute who undertakes a hectic journey to excavate her past and discover what she is worth in spiritual terms. The book won a White Ribbon award from Women Demand Dignity in 2009 for its role in the struggle against women and child abuse.
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/11/tracey-farren-award-winning-fish-hoek-author/
Introducing Lewis Watling
Lewis Watling is a 90-year old teacher, mentor and poet, having taught at junior, senior, social needs and adult level schools in Britain, Canada and South Africa. At the age of 81 he uprooted from the tired earth of the U.K. to join Maria, his youngest daughter in Cape Town and renew contact with the vibrant energy that he had first experienced as a British airman serving with the Commonwealth Air Training Scheme from 1941 to 1945. A number of his poems have received prestigious awards and were broadcast in Britain. He declares that exposure to African energy has opened up channels of consciousness that had lain dormant for most of the previous eighty years. He now lives, writes and has his being in Fish Hoek, and is a regular at Hugh Hodge’s “Off The Wall” poetry gigs in Observatory.
Read two of Lewis’s poems under
https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/02/poems-by-poet-lewis-watling-of-fish-hoek/
“Off-the-Wall” poetry readings
There are regular “Off-the-Wall” poetry readings at Kalk Bay Books every second and fourth Wednesday, and at Espresso Dot Kom (Kommetjie) every first Monday. Both events start at 7pm.
There is usually a “Featured Poet”, and always an Open Mike session when anybody can read a couple of poems of their own or of others.
Entrance is free. There is a mailing list. Contact Hugh Hodge on or
